Dolly Parton Honors Burt Reynolds: ‘One of Our Favorite Leading Men’

As the news of actor Burt Reynolds' death became public on Thursday (Sept. 6), Dolly Parton used social media to honor and remember her former co-star and friend. The country icon shared a sweet message to Reynolds, calling him "one of our favorite leading men."

"Oh how sad I am today, along with Burt‘s millions of fans around the world ... I know we will always remember his funny laugh, that mischievous sparkle in his eyes, and his quirky sense of humor," Parton writes. "You will always be my favorite sheriff. Rest in peace, my little buddy, and I will always love you."

Parton's social media memorial for Reynolds is accompanied by a photo of the pair in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The two co-stared in the 1982 film, with Reynolds playing Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd and Parton portraying brothel owner Mona Stangley.

Reynolds died on Thursday morning, at a hospital in Florida, after suffering a heart attack. He was 82 years old. The actor had a number of ties to the country music community: He also co-starred with Reba McEntire in the 1993 made-for-TV movie The Man From Left Field, and with Jerry Reed in 1977's Smokey and the Bandit. Reynolds also released a country album, Ask Me What I Am, in the early '70s.